We are back on track with 12 games in 4 days. The last 4 teams earned their trip to Phoenix.

Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight Recap

East Region

Sweet 16

  • UConn Dominates – I’m going to say this again. I’m not sure these #1 Huskies can be beaten. Last year, UConn won and covered every single game en route to a title. This year, they are the prohibitive favorites, and through 3 games, it hasn’t been close. The #5 Aztecs could only hang with the Champs in this rematch for 20 minutes, 40-31. In the second half, Coach Hurley took no prisoners, as the Huskies held San Diego State to 21 points and continued their onslaught offensively and dominated the glass – 50-29. The 3 UConn guards combined to score 51 of the 82 points in their 82-52 win. This team has now covered 9 straight in the NCAA tournament since the start of last year’s tourney.
  • I-L-L-I-N-I!! – I grew up loving the #3 Flying Illini, and over the years, they have dashed my and the collective hopes time and time again, but this team may be different. Even the tough #2 Iowa State Cyclones could not keep up in the first half, 36-26. It was bound to happen that the Cyclones were able to grind the game to their pace and cut the lead to 2 with 9:17 remaining. Neither team really scored for several minutes, and down the stretch, Illinois got some breathing room, as Terrance Shannon Jr. was so good (29 points, 5 rebounds), and despite Illinois only shooting 51.7% from the free throw line, they held off the late Cyclone run to advance to the Elite 8, 72-69, for the first time since 2005 when they reached the title game.

Elite 8

  • UConn Is Rolling – #3 Illinois was in the game tied at 23 late in the first half, and they even missed a few layups where they could have been winning at the half. Yet, #1 UConn just shut the door with an unprecedented 30-0 run over 8:12 of game time. The Huskies Donovan Clingan was force with 22 points, 10 rebounds. The key was their D though, as they held Terrance Shannon to just 8 points in the game in their 77-52 win en route to their 2nd consecutive Final Four.

West Region

  • Slipper Fits Clemson – Look Clemson probably shouldn’t have made the Dance with the early exit in the ACC Tourney and playing poorly down the stretch, but in the Big Dance, you have new life. This Tigers team has been a revelation, and they led #2 Arizona Wildcats virtuallly the entire game. The 3 headed monster of G Chase Hunter, C PJ Hall and F Ian Schiefflin combined for 49 points, 22 rebounds, 10 assists. Arizona made it interesting down the stretch when G Caleb Love hit a triple with 16 seconds left to cut the lead to 3, but Clemson beat the press for a layup to end the game and advance to the Elite Eight for the first time 1980!!
  • Bama Outlast Heels – Well you knew it was going to be fun to watch, as neither team likes to walk the ball up the floor. The #1 Heels seemed in control at the end of the first, as Armando Bacot (19 points, 12 boards) was dominating inside, and they led #4 Alabama 54-46. The Crimson Tide made some adjustments on D, and they started the 2nd half by limiting the Heels to just 3 points in the first 6:45 minutes of the 2nd, which allowed Bama to take a 59-57 lead. Then, it was a see saw battle the rest of the way. The Heels RJ Davis (16 points, 7 assists) finally got going to give UNC the late lead, 83-82 with 2:09 to play. Still, UNC had no answer for the creepy stashed, F Grant Nelson (24 points, 12 rebounds), who was really unstoppable. Nelson scored in the lane, from deep and from the line – he scored 12 of Bama’s final 14 points. He even played great D on Davis on a critical shot clock violation possession. Then, up 2 with one second on the clock, he actually missed 2 FTs, but he blocked the full court heave to seal the trip to the Elite Eight, 89-87 – their first since 2004.

Elite 8

  • Bama Shoots The Lights Out – This game was a gem. #6 Clemson and #4 Alabama both were attempting to reach the Final Four for the first time in school history. The Tigers were tough early, as they held the Crimson Tide to terrible shooting behind the arc en route to a 13 point lead at the 7:56 mark of the first. Then, the Tide turned, literally, as Bama closed the half on a 22-6 run to take a 35-32 lead at the half. In the second, Clemson pounded the ball inside over and over, but Bama was incredible from deep. They shot the ball 10-15 from 3 in the second half. G Mark Sears made 6 of 7 from deep to lead his team in scoring in the 2nd, and F Nick Pringle corralled any misses with 6 Offensive Rebounds and added 13 second half points. Clemson still had a shot in this one, but putrid shooting from the foul line missing 8 free throws in the 2nd half, which allowed Bama to win the game rather easily, 89-82. Alabama may be the team that can challenge the Champs in Phoenix.

Midwest Region

Sweet 16

  • Too Much for Zags – #1 Purdue was on a mission, but the #5 Zags had been there before. Early on, the Zags came out gunning with an early 20-15 advantage behind G Ryan Nembhard’s three point play. Purdue continued to feed the big guy, C Zach Edey, who just kept delivering. Over the course of the game, he just wore down the Gonzaga frontline with 27 points, 14 rebounds. He did get help from 3 others in double figures and 45% shooting outside the arc. Purdue rolled into Sunday for a chance to exorcise those 2023 demons in their 80-68 win.
  • Vols Vanquish The Jays – #2 Tennessee and Coach Rick Barnes have never had great tournament success, but this season has felt different. However, they needed survive an early #3 Creighton onslaught. F Baylor Scheierman (25 pts, 6 boards) was so good with 18 of his team high 25 points in the first half, as the Blue Jays led, 35-34. After some Scheierman FTs early in the 2nd half, G Dalton Knecht took over – 2 FTs, an assist, layup, another assist, another layup and final assist to G Zakai Zeigler for 3 with one non-Knecht play followed by another assist for 3, and the Vols had gone on a 17-0 run to establish a 55-39 lead with 14 minutes to play. Creighton clawed back to within 3 points with 6:02 to play, but they would not get closer as Knecht finished with 26 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists in the 82-75 win. The Vols had a chance to reach their first Final Four.

Elite 8

  • Purdue Bounces Back – We all remember what happened last year when #1 Purdue lost in the first round to Fairleigh Dickinson. Give the Boilers credit, they played with a chip on his shoulder all year, and on Sunday, they faced a tough #2 Tennessee squad. The Vols decided to let reigning Player of the Year, C Zach Edey, score with one on one coverage in lieu of double teaming. Well, that worked a bit, as the Boilers had only hit two triples until very late in the contest. Still, it is hard to imagine winning a game when the best player goes for 40 points, 16 rebounds. The reason the Vols had a shot was that their super star, G Dalton Knecht powered the offense 37 points of his own on 6 of 12 shooting from deep. Down the stretch, it was who’s supporting cast would contribute enough to get the win. Purdue up 3 points with 2:43 left, Evanston native, G Lance Jones hit a three giving Purdue a 66-60 lead that broke the spirit of Tennessee. Another miss by TEN led to more Edey FTs stretching the lead to 8 with 1:46 remaining, and the game was effectively over. Boilers win, 72-66. Purdue returns to the Final Four for the first time since 1980, and gets that monkey off their back from last year’s disappointment.

South Region

Sweet 16

  • Duke Impresses – Look some games are not pretty to watch, and when #4 Duke faced off against #1 Houston defense was on display. The Cougars led by 6 in this brutal contest with 6:18 left in the first, but was able to grind and actually lead at the half (23-22) helped mainly when HOU G Jamal Shead severely injured his ankle at the 7 minute mark of the first. In the second half, the game was always close, but HOU never could get on top in the game ask Duke led by G Jeremy Roach and C Kyle Filipowski combined for 30 of Duke’s 54 points in the 54-51 win.. Duke advanced to their 24th Elite 8 – first under Coach Jon Scheyer.
  • Wolfpack’s Run Continues – My favorite team in the tournament, the #11 Wolfpack have played in elimination games for 2+ weeks now. You would not have known it if you watched the first half who the higher seeded team was, as #2 Marquette could not keep up with NC State trailing 37-24. This time G DJ Horne was the guy hitting 4 of 7 from deep for 19 points. Marquette’s Guards Tyler Kolek and Kam Jones tried to keep it close with 37 points combined, but only 4 of 17 from behind the arc. NC State advanced to the Elite 8 with the 67-58 win for the first time since 1986.

Elite 8

  • Cinderella Keeps Dancing – These teams know each other. In fact, this was the 3rd meeting in March – Duke won the early meeting, NC State in the ACC Tourney, so this would be the rubber match. In the first half, D reigned supreme, as neither team played great. Duke’s D held NC State to an awful, 27% shooting from the floor and just 1 from deep. Duke led at the half, 27-21. In the 2nd half, both big men for NC State – DJ Burns and Mohamed Diarra – were called for their 3rd foul, so G DJ Horne took control with some quick points to grab the lead. Then, with Burns (29 points) back on the floor, his bevy of moves to score from all angles, and Horne (20 points) hit a tough shot from the corner to get the lead to 48-40 with 8:19 to play. A questionable call out of bounds, led to a technical foul on Coach Kevin Keatts, which led to 2 free throws, which could have turned the tide for Duke, but then on a scramble in transition Michael O’Connell (6 pts, 11 rebs, 6 assists) hit the 3 in transition and a foul on Duke on the rebound led to an 11 point lead. State couldn’t miss, while Duke couldn’t hit a 3 in the 2nd half and Kyle Filipowski fouled out with 4:52 to go that was all she wrote. F Ben Middlebrooks (7 points, 5 rebounds and a charge) gave great minutes with Diarra on the bench. NC State gets back to the Final Four with the 74-64 win for the first time since the 1983 miracle title run, and this team is an 11 Seed – that was a 6 Seed

Wegs Pool Update – Standings after Elite 8

The leader has a challenger now, so it isn’t over yet, as he has lost his Champion.

2024-Rounds-S16-and-E8-StandingsDownload

Until next week and the Final Four.

Wegs

About the author

I'm a 49 year old, twice divorced guy with a 20 year old. The blog has morphed a bit lately. Not just sports or dating, social commentary and now some stories from my past experience.